No Festive Joy at Bury

Promotion candidates, and top of the table, Bury RFC gave a young looking rejigged Clitheroe XV a lesson in support play, mobility and taking chances when are presented, as they inflicted a seven try defeat at a very wet Radcliffe Road ground.
Food for thought for the Clitheroe coaches and selectors. On the face of it a big reverse is a disaster, but on closer inspection in the cold light of day, maybe not.
A bit of a shock to the system, maybe, especially after some good local derby victories in November.
But the truth is probably that this team was nowhere as bad as the scoreboard suggests.
Shorn of a whole bunch of senior players through injuries and isolating, there was a start for Joe Aspin in the back row, after impressing off the bench last week. Mitch Jones and Jamie Taylor, absolute 2nd XV stalwarts started in the pack along with Nick Good & Phil Winstanley - ready to pounce on the reserves bench. Also a first inclusion in the senior squad for the promising ex colt Matt Mason.

So, with that much reorganising, against a high flying team, on their own midden on a horrid wet dark day, it was certainly going to be …..’challenging’ – I believe modern expression is.

A bright start from Clitheroe saw them move into Bury territory and they coughed up a penalty. Captain Nathon Burns was on target with the three points to give the Littlemoor men an early fillip.
However this was short lived, as a speculative kick was fielded by the Bury outside backs; they then showed instantly why they leading the division. Half a sniff of space and the very fast winger was away. This set the scene for the rest of the game as any mistake was punished. 19-3 at half time.
The second half had a few moments for the hardy traveling fans, but Clitheroe just couldn’t make the last pass count. Some good half breaks from Matt Bleasdale and Nick Roberts came to naught but the lads kept pressing. Adrian Davies and Jack Stanley made impressive forays out of defence but ran out of support at the crucial moment.
Bury carried on in a similar vein, capatalising on any slip up.
Lessons to learn maybe? – how to sum it all up?
However your correspondent sees the glass half full on this occasion and paradoxically more pluses than minus.
The scrum held firm throughout even when late in the game Taylor was in unfamiliar territory of the front row. Forrest Winstanley uncomplainingly slotted into the second row and Mitch Jones was good value on the flank. Adam Penney rolled back the years at hooker and very nearly lasted the full 80!
Top, top Club men.
Wayne Tierny was industrious throughout and along with Aspin showed up well at line out time. The skippers brother, Josh, was as he has been all season, immense at loose head & with Adam Wood continuing his recent good form on the right hand side of the front row.
In the back line Roberts and James Cathcart combined well with the few chances they had. Outside them Jack Nadin had hardly an opportunity to show his finishing power but battled hard, making way for debutante Matt Mason; who had a tough start to 1st XV rugby but showed the correct attitude and will be one for the near future. Nick Good, an 11th hours call up to the bench, worked his socks off and Sam White showed a few touches of class on a dank afternoon.
Most impressive was Chris Waddington, once only known as a delicate threequarter. But has transformed himself into a very effective flank forward and is learning the dark arts of forward play well.
The team was excellently led by scrum half Nathon Burns, incredibly brand new to rugby this season [as is brother Josh] . Still learning the position but improving as a player in every game.
One more game until the Christmas break. The lads will deserve a mince pie or two.